Mexico is en route to becoming the first country in North America to ban cosmetic animal testing.

As the Humane Society International (HSI) announced in a recent press release, Mexico's Senate and the Senate Health Committee have both unanimously endorsed a bill that would outlaw the practice all across the country.

The bill, which is supported by HSI and the nonprofit animal rights organization ONG Te Protejo, was passed on March 19.

According to HSI, the bill would make it illegal to conduct any animal testing for cosmetics in Mexico, as well as outlaw the manufacture, import, and marketing of cosmetics that have been tested on animals.

“This brings us one step closer to ending unnecessary animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry, and demonstrates Mexico’s leadership within the Americas,” Anton Aguilar, executive director of HSI/Mexico, said in the statement.

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As per the bill, manufacturers or importers will have to indicate on the packaging that no animal testing has occured.

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It also proposes amendments to Mexican laws on general health and animal health in order to implement the ban. If violated, it suggests several sanctions, including fines and prison sentences of two to seven years.

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Next, the bill is heading to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Mexico's Congress of the Union.

Should it become law, Mexico will become the 40th country in the world to ban animal testing, and the first in North America.

Also upon its passing, manufacturers would have one year to replace their animal testing practices with "alternative methods to assess the safety and efficacy of cosmetic products".

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Thousands of animals suffer and die every year as a result of animal testing for cosmetics.

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According to HSI, approximately 100,000-200,000 animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and hamsters, are used to test cosmetics such as lipsticks as shampoo.

Dogs and monkeys, though not used specifically for cosmetic testing purposes, are often forced to test other types of harmful, even deadly chemicals.

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Although not widely used, there are certainly alternatives to animal testing.

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Replacing animals doesn't mean putting humans at risk, but rather finding a way to test these products without having to force any living creature to suffer in the name of beauty.

These alternatives include using in-vitro techniques (i.e.: testing on human or animal skin cells that have been grown in a lab), or by simply using ingredients that have historically been tested and proven to be perfectly safe and non-toxic to use.